Cinematic
by FullReverse
Summary: Percy and Annabeth's break up was inevitable, especially where the words "We need to talk" were concerned. There were too many factors to their dysfunctional relationship. But, not everything is like the movies. They may not get back together, but at least, Percy has a chance at happiness. A chance namely being Nico di Angelo. Nicercy with a side of Frank/Leo, slash.
1. Say Something

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own the PJatO franchise and probably never _ever _will. The property belongs to Rick Riordan, the best Percy Jackson author of all time (and also, the only one). This piece of - er, work - is purely for the entertainment of others and naturally my own. I am merely borrowing the names of the characters and bending them to my will to create this story.**

**A/N: This is yet another story for another of Takara Phoenix's contests. I admit. It has been a while, since I have posted anything. (wince) But, I tried really hard with this fic, especially since it kind of mirrored a break up I had. **

**Like the contest requested, I have written a Nicercy. This might be long. I don't know yet. I tried to keep it as clean and as un-awkward as possible.**

**And for the sake of this fic, Gaea has been defeated.**

**Note: Listen to Say Something by A Great Big World when reading. It might help you get through the story.**

**Summary: Percy and Annabeth's break up was inevitable, especially when the words "We need to talk" were said. There were too many factors to their dysfunctional relationship. But, not everything is like the movies. They may not get back together, but at least, Percy has a chance at happiness. A chance namely being Nico di Angelo.**

**Warning: Language, Possible Out-Of-Characterness, Slash (obviously).**

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**Cinematic  
**

**Chapter 01: Say Something**

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"Percy, we need to talk." Annabeth's voice was soft and tender with a tinge of sadness, like a mother's voice right before breaking the bad news to her child. He swallowed. He didn't like the sound of that.

It reminded him of the romance movies that he used to watch with his mom, where the couple that had been together since forever breaks up because things weren't working out or some shit like that.

He had always hated those movies because he thought it was stupid that they decided to leave each other after being together for so long. But, he would still watch them anyways because of his mom's love for them. And now, he had another reason to hate them.

Just like in those movies, Annabeth was going to break up with him. She made it pretty obvious when she said they needed to "talk". Why else would anyone else use those words, unless they were in a movie or they were actually going to break up. And, the way Annabeth fidgeted in place didn't sate his worries, either.

"What's up?" He tried to keep his voice as neutral and casual as possible. And for an added effect, he smiled charmingly at her. It was a fake smile, of course, but she seemed to buy it anyways,

"Percy," Annabeth began, her voice trembling slightly. She refused to meet his eyes, a gesture that could only mean the inevitable. "This isn't going to work out anymore."

'It's just like those movies,' Percy thought. 'Exactly like the movies. Fuck.'

"Why, Annabeth? Why?" he asked in a defeated tone. He reached for her hands to hold them like he always had done, but she flinched and backed away from him. "I thought we had everything. You even said that everything was perfect."

"Well, I lied, okay?" Annabeth snapped. "Nothing is perfect. We didn't have everything. We didn't even have anything. Tartarus changed both of us. I can't be happy without feeling the misery and despair that has plagued me since we escaped the damned place. And, you..." Here, she let out a bitter laugh. "You can't open up yourself to other people because you're afraid. You're afraid of yourself. You're afraid that they'll end up like Calypso did."

Her voice increased in volume, until she was screaming at him. A broken sob erupted from her, as she crumpled to the ground. Percy just stood, frozen in place. Her words had struck deep.

Annabeth was right. After they escaped from Tartarus, he had become more withdrawn from everyone, including her. It hurt to see everyone so worried about him, but it was better than them getting hurt. like Annabeth said, he was afraid. Afraid that he'll hurt them. Afraid that they'll end up in a situation like Calypso's.

"You're right," he admitted. The _you're always right_ was left unsaid. "We're both changed people. But, that doesn't mean that we can't be together. I'm sure we can work this out."

Annabeth shook her head vigorously, her blonde hair whipping around wildly. "No. We can't work this out. Breaking up is the only way," she sighed. "You can't make me happy and I can't make you open up. This isn't going to work. We can't stay the dysfunctional couple we are, Percy. It's over."

"No. Please," pleaded Percy. "Please, Annabeth. We can work this out. I promise."

Annabeth sent him a pointed look. "Like, how you promised Calypso that you would rescue her, Percy? Are you going to keep this promise or am I going to end up like her, too?" That was a low blow, she knew it, but Annabeth couldn't bring herself to care. She had been hurting for so long, keeping it pent up inside her. It just felt so good spilling it all out.

Percy remained silent, his hands fisting the fabric of his jeans. His eyes were downcast, covered by a fringe of jet black hair. Tears brimmed his eyes, as her words replayed in his mind over and over, like a broken record. Annabeth always knew the right buttons to push, the correct things to rile him up. This time was no exception. Her words had cut deep. The pain he felt in Tartarus couldn't compare to the agony he was in now.

"W-why, Annabeth?" he wondered, his voice shaking. "Why now? Why did you choose to tell me now?"

"Because I've had enough," she answered, standing up. "I've had enough of pretending to be happy when I'm miserable and depressed. I thought that you would notice, but you never did. You never seem to notice because you're so goddamn oblivious." She paused to take a shaky breath, before continuing. "And, I'm tired of you being so aloof. I'm your fucking girlfriend and your best friend. You can tell me anything and everything. I'm always here for you, but you're never here for me. That's why, seaweed brain. That's why I chose to tell you now. I'm sick of everything, of you, of your secrets, of our relationship, everything. And, I'm going to end it, once and for all. G-goodbye, Percy."

She wiped her tears and stormed out of Percy's cabin, slamming the door behind her. Percy didn't bother to chase after her, as he fell to his knees. Tears streamed freely down his cheeks, as he clutched at his shirt, right where his heart lay.

"No," he whispered. "No!" Percy let out a pain stricken cry and sobbed. It hurt so much. Everything hurt so fucking much. His heart was in so much pain. It was agony. The pain was excruciating.

He had never wanted to fail Annabeth like that. He vowed that he wouldn't let anyone suffer like he had made Calypso suffer, but he failed. In the end, he was no better than Luke. He made broken promises and hurt those around him. _'I'm not a hero,'_ he thought. _'A hero wouldn't leave a lonely girl on an island. A hero would keep his promise. A hero would make his girlfriend happy and tell her everything she deserved to know. I'm no hero. A hero wouldn't be me. A hero wouldn't be Percy Jackson.'_

_ . . ._

He didn't know how long he sat there thinking about nothing, feeling everything, but it felt like an eternity. Percy slowly sat up, his muscles protesting slightly, and headed towards the bathroom.

Reaching the sink, he turned the knob of cold water and dipped his hands in the basin to wash his face. The cool water felt refreshing against his skin, but it did not make him feel any better.

Percy peered into the mirror to check his reflection and cringed. His eyes were swollen around the corners and red from crying. The once brilliant emerald green depths were dull in comparison. His complexion was a little pale, despite his tan. He looked tired, old beyond his age. In other words, he looked and felt like shit.

A sudden resounding knock echoed through his cabin and Percy cursed. He didn't want anyone to see him in this state, especially when he looked (not to mention, _felt_) like crap. To remedy this problem, he plugged the sink and let the water run for a little. Once the basin was completely filled, he turned off the faucet and stuck his hand into the water. Ever so slowly, the water rose up his arm to his eyes. The cool liquid soothed the irritated areas and erased the redness from his eyes. He thanked his father for the wonderful gift of healing, as he drained the sink. Percy quickly dried his face with a towel and headed towards the cabin door.

Steeling his features into a cool facade, he opened the door to see Leo looking quite concerned. "Oh, hey, Leo. What's up?"

"Is everything alright? I heard yelling and screaming coming your cabin and ran over here to check it out. I saw Annabeth running out of the cabin, crying. She seemed pretty upset, but also relieved about something," Leo reported. "Is something wrong, Percy?"

He shook his head and smiled softly. "Don't worry about it, Leo. Annabeth and I just had a little argument. I'm sure it will resolve itself in time."

"I hope so," Leo agreed. "It's not like you guys to act like this."

Percy shrugged. "I guess not. We just had a dispute and we decided that it was decided that it would be best if we split for a while." The _or, rather Annabeth decided_ was left unsaid. "It's been hard, you know. After Tartarus and everything, we're still trying to be the people we once were before, but it's not that easy."

"I understand," commented Leo. "Tartarus was hard on all of us, especially you and Annabeth. I just hope you guys get back together soon."

"I hope so, too," Percy added, but he wasn't sure if he meant it. 'It won't happen, anyways. It's not like those movies where they break up and make up in a matter of days. This is no movie. There is no making up in our reality. Not now. Not ever.'

"I guess I'll be going now," Leo said thoughtfully. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Percy grinned. "Thanks, Leo appreciate it."

"No problem, Percy." And with a small wave, Leo headed back towards his own cabin, leaving him behind. Percy closed the door and waited until Leo's footsteps faded away completely, before falling to the ground. He pulled his knees to his chest in a fetal position and cried.

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**The chapter is short, I apologize, but it's all that I came up with. I was in a dark place (kinda) when I wrote this, so it feels a little awkward. But, I hope you like it.  
**

**Until next time, this is FullReverse. (I know, I changed my name again. I can't help it. I've been going through things)**


	2. Hero Complex

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own the PJatO franchise and probably never _ever _will. The property belongs to Rick Riordan, the best Percy Jackson author of all time (and also, the only one). This piece of - er, work - is purely for the entertainment of others and naturally my own. I am merely borrowing the names of the characters and bending them to my will to create this story.**

******A/N: Yay, another update. I really appreciate the favorites and the follows. There were no reviews, but I guess it doesn't really matter. As long as there are people reading this story, then I am happy. **

******Warning: Some language, some Out-Of-Characterness, un-betaed. **

******Progress: 2 out of ? chapters.**

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******Cinematic**

******Chapter 02: Hero Complex**

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"Heh, I figured I would find you here," Leo remarked. After he had left Percy's cabin, something felt wrong. There was something Percy wasn't telling him. A break up is a pretty big thing. He was stupid to believe that Percy was "fine". No one, not even the coldest of people, could be completely fine after a break up, even a great hero like Percy isn't exempt.  
He found Percy sitting on the pier by his cabin with his legs swung over the edge. The boy didn't acknowledge his presence (or, he didn't notice at all), solely concentrating on a ball of water that was floating above his palm. He was focused on shaping the bubble into different animals, like that of a dolphin or a dragon with the occasional owl, but he seemed dissatisfied with the end result and reverted the sphere of water back to its original form. Percy didn't seem to care even when Leo sat down next to him, opting to work the ball of water with his hands, never finding the right thing to shape it into.

"Hey, Percy," Leo greeted after a while of watching the boy fiddle with water. Percy blinked, seemingly noticing Leo for the first time. He closed his gist and the ball of water dissipated. The boy sighed. "Hey, Leo."

"You alright there, Percy? You seem a little down," commented Leo. The son of Poseidon nodded.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. I'm okay, just feeling a little tired," he lied.

Leo fumed. "_Di immortales_. Don't lie to me, Percy. I've known you long enough to know that you're not okay. You think you can hide it well, but not from me. Maybe the others can't see it, but I can tell that you're hurting."

"What do you expect me to say?" Percy asked in a defeated tone. He knew that there was no way he could keep his act up when Leo was already breaking it apart bit by bit. It wasn't like he could hide anything from the Latino either. He knew him too well, possibly even more than Annabeth. "I can't go around sulking and acting depressed around everyone. They expect me to be the strongest, their leader, and most of all, their hero. I can't act weak around them. And, I don't want them to worry."

"You're never close enough for them to worry, Percy," Leo pointed our. "Ever since Tartarus, you have been reclusive, barely out of your cabin, except to eat. We barely saw you at all and when we did, you never spoke to us, never even spared a glance our way. You think that staying away from everyone will stop them from worrying, but it will only make them worry more. But, that's not the real reason. Is it?"

Percy cursed. Damn Leo. The boy was too perceptive for his own good. He shook his head.

"N-no, it isn't," he admitted hesitantly, seeing as there was no way he could hide it anymore, at least from Leo. "It's part of the reason, but not all of it. I truly don't want them to worry, but I'm scared."

"Of what?" pressed Leo. "What are you scared of?" Percy swallowed thickly.

"I'm scared of hurting them," Percy whispered softly. "I don't want them to end up like... like Calypso. I left her on the island all alone, breaking my promise to come back to her. It was horrible, thinking that I couldn't even remember to keep a single promise to her." He shuddered. "I did the same with Annabeth, Leo. I shudder her out and ended up hurting her. I couldn't make her happy. I'm a terrible person. I don't want to hurt anyone anymore."

"Oh, Percy," Leo chided. He pulled the boy into a hug and tucked the other boy's head under his chin. "It's okay. You didn't mean to break your promise. You were too caught up in the war to remember. It happens. And, Annabeth is just being selfish, Percy. All she wants is to be happy. She's your girlfriend. She should be the one trying to make you happy and just be content with that. I guess Annabeth wasn't the right choice for you after all, Percy."

"But, Leo, I'm supposed to remember things like that. Real heroes never forget. And, Annabeth was my girlfriend. I should have been the one to make her happy. Instead, I just reminded her of what happened back there. Real boyfriends would have made her happy," Percy argued. "I hurt her, Leo. Whether I mean to or not, I still hurt the two of them."  
"She forgives you, you know," Leo told him. "At first, she was mad, seething even. But, Calypso is an understanding girl, or Titaness, whatever she is. She understands that you had bigger problems to deal with. You couldn't just save everyone. She knew that there were others who needed your help more than her. And if Annabeth had half of her understanding, she would have been patient and waited for you to he. She didn't deserve you, Percy."

"Calypso needed just as much help as the others. Everyone deserves help, especially when they were promised it. Annabeth was in a similar situation, Leo, and I never realized it. I hurt her." But even to his ears, his argument sounded weak. He wanted so desperately to believe that he was right, that he was the one at fault, but Leo's argument was so tempting - so right. He wanted to selfishly believe Leo, but his conscience wouldn't let him. He knew he had been in the wrong. There was to denying it. Percy knew he had hurt Calypso and Annabeth.

He sobbed softly into Leo's shirt, his tears staining the fabric. He couldn't hold it in any longer. Even though he had cried for an hour after Leo had left, there were still more tears that he hadn't shed.

"Just let it out, Percy," Leo cooed gently, stroking the Jackson's hair. He hugged the boy close and whispered softly into his ears. "I know you feel the need to rescue everyone, but it's okay if you don't. You don't have to be the hero. Not all the time. And, you don't have to be the perfect boyfriend either. For an Athena kid, Annabeth seriously lacked the brains for relationships. If she was in a similar situation, like you said, Percy, then shouldn't she have understood what you were going through? I know it may be too hard to ask, but couldn't she think of someone else's well being before hers for once? Relationships were meant to be utterly selfless. Annabeth and Calypso are just two instances. She still forgave you, in the end. And to be honest, if this is how Annabeth is, she isn't worth your time. Just take this as a lesson and learn from it. It's alright to mess up sometimes. That's what makes us human after all."

"B-but, what if I do that again? To someone else?" Percy choked back a sob. "What if I don't learn from it? What if I just continue on doing the same thing? I don't want to hurt anyone, Leo."

"You won't," Leo stated. "We're all too strong and you are too strong to let that happen. Don't worry, Percy. You won't hurt anyone. You're too kind and way too strong to hurt anyone. I believe in you." He carefully pried Percy from his chest and nudged the boy to look at him. He was still crying a little, but his eyes were clear, the emerald green back to its original brillance. Percy looked better than he had been since Tartarus and Leo vowed to keep his friend this way.

"Don't ever say.. No, don't even _think _that you are any less of a hero. You are a true hero, Percy. Trust me. You are a hero. Don't ever think otherwise."

Percy gave the Latino a watery grin and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Leo. I really appreciate. Y-You're right. As much as I hate to admit, I was wrong. I-I guess I got caught up with everything and let it get to me."

"Don't mention it, Percy. It's what friends do," Leo dismissed. "From now on until you're completely fine, you're staying with me. I know you won't be okay for a while, so I want to keep an eye on you. You're a good friend, Percy. You helped me. And now, it's my turn to help you."

"Okay, Leo. I'll stick with you from now on," Percy said, seeing that he had no other choice. He was going to refuse, but the intense determination in Leo's eyes made him realize that there was no way he could say no. Leo would find a way to make him say yes anyways. "Just don't expect me to interact much with the others."

"I'm not asking you to," Leo replied with a fond smile. Percy was on his way to recovery. It wasn't going happen anytime soon, but he's getting there. "Now, come on. Let's get back to camp."

"What's the hurry?" Percy asked with a laugh. He was slightly nervous about getting back to camp with his emotions still in shambles, but he tried not to let it show.

"Don't be nervous, Perce," the firebug comforted. "Nico's coming to visit with some Romans."

Percy perked up at the mention of Nico. It had been a long time, since he had seen the Italian and he missed him terribly. "Why didn't you say so earlier? Let's go."

Leo chuckled. "You need to wash your face first. I don't think you want to go into camp looking like you were crying."

"Oh, right." Percy stuck his hand into the water and just like earlier, the water rose his arm and onto his face, healing the swollen areas and clearing the redness from his eyes. Once he felt that he was ready, he dried himself with a towel that was left hanging out to dry and grinned at Leo. "Now, let's go."

Leo laughed and bounded after the boy. _'If only he knew how excited he looked just from hearing Nico's name. He's in love with the guy and he doesn't even know it.'_

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**Well, that's all for this chapter. I know it's not as long as I usually write, but I feel that if I make it short, but yet meaningful, then it feels a lot more emotional. I was going through a lot of things when I wrote this and I wrote out Leo as a person I wished I had - for someone to look at me in the eyes when I say "I'm fine" and say, "Tell me the truth." **

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Please review, favorite, and all that good stuff. (You don't have to, though.) Until next time, this is FullReverse. **


	3. Needs

**Disclaimer: I do not own the PJatO franchise and probably never _ever _will. The property belongs to Rick Riordan, the best Percy Jackson author of all time (and also, the only one). This piece of - er, work - is purely for the entertainment of others and naturally my own. I am merely borrowing the names of the characters and bending them to my will to create this story.**

** A/N: Yay, another update. (groans) I love writing, but this story is starting to become a chore. I have finished it all, except for the last chapter, but I feel like it's an obligation, not a fun hobby, to update it. I am starting to lose love for this story and that won't end well. So, I decided to just quickly end this project. I am going to update this story until the end, but the ending will not be satisfactory. I'm really sorry for the abruptness, but I'm just losing interest in this.**

**But on the other hand, I really appreciate the reviews, the favorites, and the follows I received. It makes me happy to see that people still like this story, even though the writer isn't even trying anymore. (wince)**

**Warnings: Characters that are out of character, Language.**

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**Cinematic**

**Chapter 03: Needs**

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A round of applause echoed through Camp Half-Blood, as the Apollo cabin finished their song. Percy looked away in disinterest and tuned in on the conversation at the table. Instead of his usual place at the Poseidon table, he was sandwiched between Jake and Leo at the Hephaestus table.

Sitting with Leo's siblings wasn't terribly boring, nor was it horrible. They included him in the conversation and respected his silence when he didn't want to talk about certain subjects. It was nice just having people to talk to without any worries. What else had he missed, while trying to keep away from everyone?

While the evening was fairly pleasant, Percy was slightly miffed that he couldn't even get near Nico, let alone to the boy. Everyone, it seemed, was keen on keeping the Italian away from him, Annabeth included. She was seen talking to the boy, smiling and acting like she hadn't broken up with Percy earlier that day.

Seeing Annabeth smile made him happy, but it just hurt more than anything. It wasn't that someone else was making her happt. That didn't seem to register in his mind. It was more that he failed to keep her happy. Or in her words, he "couldn't make her" happy. Looking back, it seemed awfully selfish of Annabeth to say that, but it wasn't his place to judge. He was equally selfish when he had distanced himself from everyone.

"Hey, Percy," Jake called out. "You okay there? You seem a little down."

Nyssa snickered. "Don't worry, Jake. He's alright. He's just a little annoyed that he hasn't had a piece of Nico yet."

"That's not true," Percy fervently denied. "I just want to see my best friend, that's all."

"Same thing, Percy," Nyssa teased. "You want him." Percy blushed and shook his head vigorously, but did not deny it. The others laughed at his plight and he buried his head into Leo's shoulder.

"Shut up." His voice was barely heard, muffled by Leo's shirt. The Latino just chuckled and wrapped an arm around the boy.

"Come on, guys. Give him a break. He had a rough day," Leo chided, stroking Percy's hair. "Don't scare him away. It's the first time he sat with us in a long time. We need to cherish this moment."

"You make it sound like I'm never here," Percy accused with a pout.

"But, you never are," Jake said with a sigh. "We missed you, "Percy."

"I know," Percy whispered. "I missed you guys, too." He looked up from Leo's shoulder and found everyone smiling at him. He returned the smile with a happy grin and felt at ease. It was with them that he realized everything he had missed. The warmth, the love, the happiness just from sitting with them made his heart ache. Why had he been so selfish when he could have had this?

The evening progressed, but Percy still didn't get a chance to speak to Nico. The Italian boy still had his attention to Annabeth and it made him irritated and sad more than anything, that one of his best friends would rather spend time with _her_ than him. Maybe he sounded a little selfish, or a little desperate, or even - dare he say it - a little _jealous_, but he needed a break from everyone. Leo and his siblings were amazing on their own, but they weren't Nico. The di Angelo was his order in the chaos that was his life.

"It's not fair," Percy whined, plopping his head on the table. "I want to see Nico." Nyssa chuckled.

"Awwww, you're so cute, Percy," she cooed. "You're so adorable when you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous, dammit," he denied. "I just want to see my best friend."

"Denial isn't the only river in Egypt," Jake quipped, ruffling Percy's hair. "And, Nyssa's right. You are cute when you're jealous."

"I am not cute and I'm not jealous," Percy said, glaring at the Hephaestus cabin.

"For once, I have to agree with Jake and Nyssa," Leo added, in which Percy proceeded to groan. "You're really cute with your big green eyes and adorably messy hair. If I didn't have someone I liked, I would totally go for you."

Percy blushed at the compliment and hid his head in his arms in embarrassment. A chorus of teasing aww's followed from Leo's siblings and he desperately want to crawl into a hole. "Stop teasing me."

"Who said we were teasing?" Jake, Nyssa, and Leo shared a smile. "We're speaking the truth, Percy. You're quite the adorable person, you know."

"Di immortales, you guys are going to be the death of me."

"You know you love us," Leo replied cheekily and Percy laughed. He sat up and smiled.

"Thank you, guys."

"No problem, Percy." Jake dismissed. "That's what friends are for."

"And, don't worry about Nico," Nyssa added. "I'm sure he'll get tired of wise girl's ramblings soon enough. You'll be able to talk to him. Don't worry your pretty face about something trival like that."

"Yeah, Percy," Leo agreed. "You shouldn't worry about a single thing. You already had a rough time as it is. I'll go talk to the guy if it comes to it."

"You're the best," Percy exclaimed with a soft, but bright smile." I love you guys."

"We love you, too, Percy. We love you, too." Leo replied. He stood up from his seat and stretched. "I'm going to ask Chiron or Mr. D and see if you can bunk with us until you're better."

"Don't take any detours," Jake teased.

"I won't." With a smirk, Leo headed towards Chiron, leaving Percy behind with Nyssa and Jake.

"Detours?" Percy asked, once Leo was out of earshot.

"Yeah, Leo likes to flirt with every pretty girl he sees," Jake explained.

"Even though, he likes someone?"

"Even though, he likes someone." Nyssa repeated with a nod. _'But, it's only because he believes that Frank won't like him back.'_

. . .

"Can I talk to you, Nico?" Leo gave Annabeth a pointed look. "Alone."

"Sure, Leo," Nico replied. He stood from where he sat next to Annabeth at the Athena table and moved way from them to get some privacy. "What's up?"

"I don't know if you have heard or someone had told you, but Annabeth and Percy broke up." Nico looked troubled.

"When did this happen?"

"Today."

"Why?" Nico asked. "They were perfect together, the Golden couple." There was a tinge of relief in his voice, but Leo wasn't sure if he had imagined it or not.

"I thought so, too," Leo said with a shrug. "But, Percy told me that Annabeth said he couldn't make her happy and that he was distancing himself too much. So, she broke up him."

"That's..." Nico couldn't seem to find the right words.

"Selfish? Surprising? Unexpected? I know. I wish Annabeth had been kinder when she broke up with him."

"Is Percy okay?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah, but he was devastated. I've never seen him so down. He wanted to talk to you, you know. The only reason I could get him out of his cabin to sit with us at my table was you. He felt really sad that Annabeth had you occupied." He refrained from mentioning that Percy was jealous of Annabeth. (Everyone knew that it wasn't Nico he was jealous of. Percy made it clear that his romantic feelings for Annabeth were waning.) It was Percy's business to tell. He could only say things that were necessary.

"I never knew," Nico confessed. "Annabeth never told me and she always changed the subject when I mentioned Percy. I wanted to go and talk to him, but she kept me in place."

"I understand," Leo said. "Just go see Percy sometime. He need you more than you think. But, just not right now. It's getting late and he had a hard day. He needs his rest."

Nico nodded. "I'll go see him first thing in the morning. But, don't tell him. I want it to be a surprise."

"Alright," Leo agreed. "But, only if you promise me that you don't tell Percy that I told you."

"You have a deal, Leo." They shook hands to seal the deal and walked their separate ways. Nico, to the Athena table, and Leo, to wherever Chiron was.

. . .

"Hey, Chiron. Can Percy stay with us for a while?"

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**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I apologize that my writing isn't on par with how it once was, but I've been through writers' block, life, too much video games (excuses I know). This story was just a test, in a way, to see if I can come back and be the writer I once was. Apparently, I was away for too long and my writing has waned. I really need to start writing again. I am really sorry for the poor quality work.**

**Please review nodded have a nice day.**

**Until next time, FullReverse. **


	4. A Happy Ending

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own the PJatO franchise and probably never _ever _will. The property belongs to Rick Riordan, the best Percy Jackson author of all time (and also, the only one). This piece of - er, work - is purely for the entertainment of others and naturally my own. I am merely borrowing the names of the characters and bending them to my will to create this story.**

******A/N: So, this is the second to last chapter of this story. (finally... *exhales in relief*) I really appreciated everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed my story. I hope you don't find this ending to be _too _abrupt.**

******Warnings: Characters not being in character, Language (I think?), Misspellings and grammar issues (I was too lazy to use Microsoft Word, I just edited it on my own).**

******Status: 4 out of 5 chapters.**

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******Cinematic**

******Chapter 04: A Happy Ending - er, a Happy Beginning**

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"Hey, Percy. You still awake?" Leo whispered. Percy turned under his covers and yawned.

"Yeah, I am now," he replied, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. "Is there something you need?"

"I just want to ask you something," Leo said. "But, I'm not even sure where to start." He bit his bottom lip nervously, clinching his blanket tightly in his fist.

"You can start by telling me what this is all about," Percy suggested.

Leo swallowed thickly, a lump forming at his throat. "It's about this guy I like, Frank.."

"Wait, Frank. As in Frank Zhang?" Percy asked to make sure. Leo nodded, though it couldn't be seen in the darkness.

"The very same," he confirmed with a sigh. "I have had a crush on the guy, since I met him, but he's always with Hazel and I don't think he likes me."

"If anything, his relationship with Hazel is more familial. They're practically siblings." 'Like how Annabeth and I were before we dated,' he mentally added with a grim smile.

"But, he doesn't like me," Leo pointed out. "You've seen the way he acted around me. I don't have a chance at the guy."

"Okay, Leo, first of all, he does like you, even if just as a friend. And to be perfectly honest, it might be more than just a friend. I've caught him more than once starting at you, mainly your ass," Percy quipped with a slight smirk. Leo blushed.

"Even so, how do I know for certain?" questioned Leo. "What if he really doesn't like me and it's just lust?"

"Frank's not that kind of guy," Percy countered. "If he likes you, he'll like you for you, not your body."

"I don't know, Percy. You make very good points, but... I just don't know, man. Every time I think about him rejecting me, it hurts," he sighed.

"You got it bad, then," Percy said. "I felt the same way for Annabeth, before... you know. To be honest, I don't know how to deal with love. I've only been in love once and I kinda fell out of love again. It's different for everyone, Leo. You have to follow your heart, as cliche as it sounds, and see where it takes you."

"That's the sappiest thing I've ever heard you say, Percy," commented Leo.

The Jackson just shrugged. "I have my moments."

"Thanks, man," Leo said with a laugh. "I feel like you helped me a lot." Percy shook his head.

"No problem, Leo. This is what friends do. We help each other. You help me and I help you."

"You know something?"

"Annabeth was wrong."

Percy blinked in confusion. "About what?"

"About breaking up with you. You're the sweetest, greatest, most amazing person ever," Leo praised. "I can't see why she would break up with you. You may have your faults, but it doesn't matter because you're perfect just the way you are."

Percy blushed. "You can't mean all that."

"I do," Leo affirmed. "I just wish you could see how wonderful you are. Annabeth doesn't know what she's missing. Why date someone else when you can have the delectable, super enticing Percy Jackson?" His voice held a teasing tone that made Percy's blush increase two-fold.

"Leo," Percy chided with a slight pout.

"What?"

"You're embarrassing me."

Leo softened. "You shouldn't be embarrassed if it's the truth, Percy." Percy didn't reply. He just pulled the covers over himself and yanwed.

"Don't go to sleep yet," Leo requested, his voice soft. "I want to make sure about something."

"What?"

"Earlier at the table, were you really jealous of Annabeth?" The question was asked quietly, as if he didn't want to aggravate Percy by mentioning Annabeth with Nico.

"Who else would I be jealous of? Nico?" Percy countered. "Yeah, I was jealous of Annabeth, Leo. She had Nico's attention, while I didn't. I want to desperately talk to him, but I never had the chance to."

"He's more than your best friend, huh?"

Percy sighed. "I don't know. I'm still confused about him. I don't know if I like-like him or is it just a friend."

"Maybe, it's love," Leo suggested. "Maybe, you're in love and you just don't know it yet."

"I just fell out of love, Leo," Percy reminded him with a small smile. "Don't you think it's too early for me to fall in love again?"

"It's never too early to fall in love," Leo replied. "It's never too early, Percy."

"I don't know, Leo. It doesn't fell right to fall in love so quickly after Annabeth broke up with me." Even as he said those words, tears brimmed his eyes, as he thought back to the break up. "I feel like if I don't wait, Nico might just be a rebound." His voice cracked slightly.

"It's never wrong to fall in love. It shouldn't ever feel that way, Percy. And, Nico won't be a rebound. Not unless, you want Annabeth back."

"No," Percy said with a shake of his head. "I don't want Annabeth back. N-not anymore. I don't want to feel pain like that again."

"And, you shouldn't have to, " Leo interjected. "You deserve more than that."

"But, I don't know if I love Nico."

"You'll know in time," Leo replied sagely. "Just give it a try. Maybe, you'll fall in love."

"If you say so, Leo. If you say so."

Leo yawned and settled into his bed. "G'night, Percy."

"Night, Leo."

. . .

Morning came all too quickly for Percy. He felt like he had barely slept for a few hours. Bringing himself to sit up, Percy stretched, feeling his muscles protest, and yawned. He looked to Leo, who was still sleeping soundly and smiled softly, remembering the memories of yesterday.

Running a hand through his hair, Percy walked to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He relieved himself and stripped down, stepping into the shower. A quick flick of his wrist sent cool water washing over his body. Percy sighed happily, relaxing under the flow of water. He slowly scrubbed himself clean with a bar of soap and toweled himself dry. Percy wrapped the towel around his waist, and began brushing his teeth. Once he was done, he stepped out of the bathroom.

"Leo, are you up yet?"

"Mmph."

Percy shrugged. "Guess not."

"Why are you awake at such an ungodly time?" groaned Frank. He was staying with Nico, instead of the Ares cabin, because he felt uncomfortable with sleeping in a cabin full of people he didn't know well. "It's too early, man."

"I'm going to see Leo," Nico replied, smirking at his Asian friend. "Then, I'm going to find Percy."

Frank raised an eyebrow. "Finally deciding to ask him out?"

"I don't know," Nico admitted with a shrug. "He did break up with Annabeth yesterday, so I don't know if he's ready to be in a relationship again. And, what about you? I know you've been meaning to ask Leo out."

The Asian sighed, running a hand through his hair with a frown. "I have, but it just that every time I want to ask him, I fear that he'll reject me. I wasn't all that nice to him in the past, you know, and I think he thinks I don't like him. I would be heartbroken if he rejected me."

"I don't think he'll reject you, Zhang," Nico said softly. "Leo's not that kind of person. And, I think he likes you, too. He's not the type of guy to hate anyone. It never hurts to try, you know?"

"I guess so," Frank sighed. "When you see him, tell him..." He paused to run a hand through his hair in agitation. "Tell him that I want to talk to him."

"That's what I'm talking about," Nico said with a smile. "Well, I'll be going now. Keep Jason and Hazel in line while I'm gone."

Frank nodded and watched Nico's receding form. He groaned softly and hung his head dejectedly. _'What am I going to do? What have I gotten myself into?'_

_. . ._

"Leo," Nico called, knocking on the boy's cabin. Hearing no reply, he tried the knob to find it was left unlocked. Sighing at his friend's carelessness, Nico opened the door and stepped inside.

"Someone's at the door, Leo. Can you see who it is?" he heard a familiar voice say. Nico turned to face the speaker and found himself to be pleasantly (or, should he say _pleasurably_) surprised.

Percy was clad in nothing, but a fluffy, white towel that hung enticingly low on his hips. A delectable blush crossed the boy's delicate features, as Nico raised a teasing eyebrow at his state of undress.

"Nico," Percy squeaked, finally finding his voice. "What are you doing here?"

The Italian smirked. "I could ask the same of you, _mio bello_."

"I asked you first," bantered Percy with a slight pout. "And, what does mio bello mean?"

"It means "my beautiful" in Italian," Nico replied, chuckling at the crimson blush spreading across Percy's cheeks to the back of his neck. He licked his lips, wondering just how far the blush would spread if he kept complimenting the boy. "And, I'm here to talk to Leo. Is he up?"

Percy shook his head, feeling slightly dejected that Nico hadn't come to speak with him. "No, he's still in bed. I couldn't get him to wake up."

"No one can," Nico supplied with a shake of his head. "Trust me, I've tried. So, what are you doing here, Percy?"

"Leo wanted me to stay with him," Percy explained. "I'm sure you've heard of what happened..."

Nico nodded, understanding the situation. He didn't like the sad expression Percy had. It meant that he was still not over the break up yet, but who could blame him? Break ups weren't something that you could just forget and move on in a matter of weeks, let alone a single day.

"How are you feeling, Percy?" Nico asked. "I know you're not okay. I can see it in your eyes."

Percy smiled sadly. "Right now, I guess I still feel a little hurt. Leo helped me a lot better, but it still takes time, you know? It's still hard for me."

"I can understand," he replied. "And, thank you for sharing with me. I know it's hard for you to express how you feel to others."

"I should be the one thanking you, Nico," Percy remarked. "Even if it's just you asking how I feel, I still appreciate it. It's nice to know that you care." Percy smiled softly with a hint of fondness. It was really sweet that Nico was asking how felt and not the usual "Are you okay".

"I always care," Nico stated, causing Percy's heart to make an involuntary leap. "I always have and I always will. I'm here for you, Percy."

"I missed you, Nico," Percy whispered. "It's been a long time since I've seen you." Nico smiled and pulled the smaller boy into a hug.

"I've missed you, too, Percy," Nico replied, sniffing Percy's hair discreetly. He smelled divine, like sea salt and jasmine mixed together in an exotic combination. "I missed you, too."

"Am I interrupting something?" quipped Leo, his disheveled head popping out from his bunk. Nico and Percy jumped apart in surprise. Percy cursed at himself for missing the warm contact, while Nico glared darkly at the Latino.

"Yes, you were," he growled.

"Never mind that," he dismissed with a chuckle. "Why are you here, Nico?"

The boy's anger receded and he smirked, remembering the reason for seeing Leo. "I just needed to talk to you. Frank wanted me to tell you that he wants to talk to you."

"Why?" Leo asked, a little pale.

Nico shrugged, feigning ignorance. "I don't know, but don't worry. It's probably nothing bad."

Leo nodded, but he didn't seem convinced. Beside them, Percy shifted awkwardly in place, feeling a little left out.

"Umm.. if you need me, I'll be over there," he said, pointing to the far bunk. "I' ll just leave you two alone." He quickly padded over to where he was pointing leaving no room for Leo and Nico to speak. The Latino sighed.

"What are you doing, di Angelo?" Leo hissed, keeping his voice low so Percy couldn't hear. "The one you should be talking to is Percy, not me."

"I know, I know," Nico replied, running a hand through his hair. "I just needed to talk to you about Percy. I want to ask him out, but I fear that he's still not over Annabeth. Is it too early?"

"You love him, don't you? It's never too early or too late to love, Nico. You just have to follow your heart. Just be patient with Percy. He's still recovering."

Nico nodded. "I'm going to talk to him now. I suggest you do the same with Frank. He's waiting for you in my cabin."

"I-I don't know, Nico," Leo confessed. "Why does he want to talk to me?"

"You'll have to find out on your own, Leo."

Leo huffed and stood up, frowning, "Fine, I'll go see him, but if he kills me, I'll haunt you for eternity."

Nico laughed. "He won't kill you. I can promise that."

"If you say so, Nico. If you say so," Leo muttered. "You go talk to Percy. I'm going to get ready." He headed for the bathroom with a determined expression. Nico smiled and turned towards the bunks, where Percy lay.

"Hey, Percy. Can we talk?" Nico founded the boy sitting cross-legged on a bunk. He had changed into a pair of jeans, but no shirt. The boy sat, hugging a pillow to his chest, looking a little down.

"Yeah, sure. Is something wrong?" He made some room for Nico and the Italian sat down beside him.

Nico shook his head, smiling. "I just want to talk. I know you just broke up with Annabeth and you're still recovering, but are you considering dating anytime soon?"

"I... I don't know," Percy replied, hugging the pillow tighter. "I feel like it's too early, but I already have someone that I like. Someone I've like for a long time, but I've never realized it."

"Who?" Nico asked, feeling jealous. His fist clenched and his heart ached at the thought of Percy liking someone else.

Percy blushed and mumbled a name into the pillow. Nico growled. "What did you say, Percy? I couldn't hear you."

"You," Percy whispered. "The guy I like is you, okay?" He closed his eyes, bracing himself for Nico's rejection.

"You like me?" Nico sounded surprised, but there was no disgust. Percy opened his eyes just a crack and found Nico smiling at him.

"I like you, too, Percy," Nico replied. Percy felt tears at his eyes and smiled broadly. He wrapped his arms around Nico's neck and gave him a shy peck on the cheek. Nico grinned and hugged him back.

"Now that we know that our feelings are mutual," Nico said. "Can you consider being in a relationship with me?"

Percy nodded. "Yes, yes, yes. I want to be in a relationship with you."

Nico chuckled, hugging him tight. Percy smiled. _'I guess I get my happy ending, after all. Or rather, a happy beginning. This is just the beginning of my happy ending.'_

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**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. There is one more chapter left to go for the Frank/Leo. I always end my stories with another pairing and well, I can't help, but do the same with this one. Maybe, it's a PJaTO thing. I don't know. Oh well. This is FullReverse. Until next time..**


	5. Dreams Do Come True

**Disclaimer: I do not own the PJaTO franchise, nor do I own the characters. I am merely borrowing these characters as a means to exploit my love for writing. This piece of - er, words - was written merely for the sake of getting my feelings down on paper after I had a break up of my own and I couldn't express myself any other way.**

**A/N: This is the last chapter of the story. Finally, I am done. (whoooo)This is actually the quickest I have ever written anything. I am so surprised. Makes me kinda happy in a strange way.**

**You can now find me on AO3 (that's Archive of Our Own) in case any of my stories get deleted. (:**

**Warning: Possible Characters Being Out of Character, Some Language (I think), and just some tear-jerking moments (I did tear up a bit, maybe you will, maybe you won't). Also, take heed that this is romance written by a person who hasn't experience true love yet (but, really, who has?). So, the love portrayed may some immature or childish. And for that, I apologize.**

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**Cinematic**

**Chapter 05 (Extra Chapter; Frank/Leo): Dreams Do Come True**

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Leo raised his hand, fingers clenched in a tight fist, about to knock on the door. But with a sigh, he let his hand fall. He shook his head, tears forming at his eyes. He couldn't do it. With a shaky hand, he ran his fingers through his hair, taking in a trembling breath. No, he couldn't do it.

His heart sank, as he turned around to leave. He grasped at his shirt, feeling like a fucking coward. He was so close, but yet he couldn't dare to knock on Frank's door, fearing rejection. _'Shit,' _he thought, closing his eyes when he felt tears threatening to fall. _'I'm a fucking pansy. Can't even knock on the door for a little talk. Fuck me.' _

"Leo?" He jumped upon hearing his name. _'Frank...' _"You've been standing out here for a while. Is everything alright?"

He turned around, a broad (and, noticeably fake) smile plastered on his face. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just lost in thought."

"Uh huh." Frank didn't look convinced. He frowned, concerned for the little tinkerer. Something felt wrong. Leo's smile didn't reach his eyes and he looked like he was about to cry.

Leo bit his lip. "Nico said you wanted to talk to me."

"Yeah, come in." Frank winced at the rough tone of voice and added, "Don't worry, Leo. It's nothing bad. I just want to talk." He stepped aside to let Leon in and took a deep breath. _'Here goes nothing.'_

Frank led him to a table and gestured for him to sit. Leo complied without a word and gulped when Frank sat in front of him. He was so close, but yet so far. He wanted to reach over and touch the Asian boy, but as soon as the though crossed his mind, he pushed it away. It could never happen anyways.

"So, you wanted to talk?" he tried his hardest to keep his voice steady, but failed miserably.

Frank heard Leo's trebling voice and wished that he could hug him tight, comforting him with his touch. He desperately wished that he could brush his little imp's tears away when he cried and kiss away his pains. Frank wished that he could be Leo's everything, but when did dreams ever come true anyways?

"Yeah," he replied with a nod, pushing away the impulse to walk over to Leo and pull him into a hug. "I heard about Annabeth breaking up with Percy and just wanted to know if he was alright." He cursed under his breath. _'Fuck, I'm a coward.'_

Leo visibly relaxed. "Percy's fine. He took it very hard, but he's recovering."

"That's good."

They settled into an uncomfortable silence. Frank found himself staring at the tablecloth, while Leo fiddled with the fabric, trying to distract himself.

"Is that all you wanted to talk about?" Leo finally asked. He stood up, turning around to leave. "If it is, then I"m leaving."

"NO!" Frank grabbed Leo's wrist. "No. Don't go. Stay with ,e." He hated how desperate he sounded, but he couldn't stand the fact that Leo was leaving. That Leo was leaving _him. _

Leo felt his heart melt at what Frank had said. _Don't go. Stay with me. _He turned around and sat beside the Asian boy. "Frank?"

Startled, Frank released Leo's wrist. "Shit, Leo. I'm sorry."

Leo wanted to whine at the loss of contact, but refrained from doing so. "What's wrong, Frank? Are you okay?"

"Fuck," he hissed, holding his head in his hands. "I;m sorry that you have to this, Leo. I think you need to leave."

"Frank..." Leo held his hands shakily over Frank, wanting to desperately place them onto the Asian's shoulders. He quickly retracted them, but he didn't leave.

"I'm not leaving you, Frank. Something's wrong and I want to know what that is.

_I'm not leaving you. _Those words echoed in his head, hope blossoming that in chest. But, he quickly squashed the hope. Leo could never love him. He was just being a good friend.

"Nothing's wrong, Leo," he lied, looking up from his hands with an impassive face. "I just lost my composure for a moment there. I'm okay, honestly."

Leo shook his head, grabbing Frank's hands. He couldn't ignore his desire to hold Frank any longer. "Stop lying to yourself. You're not okay. I know you're not fine. Can you please tell me what's the matter?"

He tried to pulled his away, but Leo wouldn't let him go. Leo just held him tightly and pulled him into a hug. "It's okay, Frank. You can tell me."

"No. I can't." Frank wanted to pull away from Leo's hug, as well, but it felt so right being with the boy that he didn't want him to ever let go. "I can't tell you."

"And, why not? Why can't you tell me?"

Frank choked back a sob, tears brimming his eyes. "It would destroy everything we have. I don't want this to end."

"It can't be that bad," Leo whispered. "And, nothing can destroy what we have." He hugged Frank tighter, frowning when he felt the boy shaking in his arms.

"It is that bad," Frank said, regretfully pushing Leo away. "It would jeopardize what little we have. I don't want to lose you."

"But, why would you lose me?" Leo asked. "Please, I want to know."

Frank shook his head, looking away. "You would hate me."

"I would never hate you, Frank." He wanted to hold Frank again, but he was afraid that he would be pushed away again. He knew that Frank didn't like him. "You're the one that hates me."

"No. No, I could never hate you," Frank whispered, his voice shaking. "I could never hate you. I love you too much for that." He felt tears prick his eyes, as he finally said it. Closing his eyes, he braced himself for rejection and hoped that Leo wouldn't hate him, but the words of disgust didn't come.

Leo felt his heart being squeezed tightly, as a few tears escaped. He hugged frank close, smiling brightly. He couldn't believe it. _'Is this a dream?' _Frank loved him. Frank returned his feelings. Frank loved him.

"Leo?" Frank asked uncertainly when Leo hugged him. Did Leo love him back?

I love you, too, Frank. Gods, I love you so much." Frank hugged him back, tucking the boy's head under his chin, stroking his hair gently. He couldn't believe it. Leo loved him back.

"Please tell me this isn't a dream. Oh gods, please tell me I'm not dreaming."

"Don't worry," Leo replied, grinning. "You're not dreaming." He gave Frank a chaste kiss on the lips and sighed happily.

Frank was in heaven. He kissed Leo back with all the passion he could muster and felt his heart soar. Frank broke the kiss and licked his lips. His little love tasted divine.

Leo blushed, still tasting Frank on his tongue, and smiled. Frank returned the smile, wrapping an arm around his love's waist. _'I guess dreams do come true, after all.'_

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**That's all that I have for Cinematic. I hope you enjoyed my story. Look out for my other stories soon to come. **

**Shameless Self Advertisement:**  
**I have a Harry Potter story coming out next. I hope you can check it out. It might not be out anytime soon, but just keep on the look out for it. It will be called, "CrossFire" or something akin to that. I won't tell what it's about yet. That's a secret. It probably won't be romance, maybe just a little drama and adventure. That's all I'll spoil for you now. Until then, FullReverse.  
**


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